President Donald Trump’s demand that Congress attach a voter identification bill to an extension of a government spy program will complicate efforts to pass reauthorization of the intelligence authority. Over the weekend, the president urged Congress to tie the SAVE America Act to a renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, warning […]
President Donald Trump is already planning his next “focus” after his administration formalizes its peace deal with Iran later this week, revisiting one of his most aggravating goals. The president, who is expected to finalize his memorandum of understanding with Tehran on Friday, said Monday that ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine will be his […]
British children may benefit from the United Kingdom’s newly announced ban on social media access for those under 16, but American children and parents should not expect similar legislation here. After months of preparation, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that the United Kingdom would ban children under 16 from using almost all major […]
'We’re going to fight your lawlessness. And we're going to continue to remind the people of this country of your corruption'
Former Trump administration White House attorney Ty Cobb was not at all shocked on Monday to hear reports that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is under federal investigation — but was saddened at the state of the Justice Department."I'm not surprised that [Newsom] would announce it," Cobb told MS NOW's Katy Tur, responding to the official video announcement from his office. "I think that's a smart move. There's no reason to hide it."Cobb added that the fact that the investigation exists at all is predictable, too, noting that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth opened a probe into Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) — also frequently discussed as a presidential candidate — over his participation in a video reminding troops they can refuse illegal orders. "Newsom's a potential presidential candidate. I think most presidential candidates, just like most presidential candidates, should expect that they will be met with abuses of this sort."Tur soon followed up by asking Cobb how acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has achieved such a political stranglehold over the rank and file in federal law enforcement. "Why do they go along with what appeared to be political, the political retribution that Donald Trump desires?""That's an excellent question," said Cobb. "I think it's sad, obviously."The issue, he argued, happened with Blanche's predecessor, Pam Bondi, who "made it clear early on in the Great Hall of Justice that she was dedicating her role and her office and her entire department to serving Trump, not the Constitution." And Blanche has continued this on, said Cobb, from his prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey to his involvement in the $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization" slush fund to pay out Trump's allies who were criminally charged in the past."I think this is really a tragedy that we have such a lack of character among public servants these days," Cobb added. "And hopefully some will come forward with courage and with integrity." - YouTube youtu.be
A diamond from Arkansas, a whale bone from Maine, a New Mexican bolo tie, and an iPhone 17 Pro Max are among the items Americans in 250 years will remember today’s U.S. citizens by. America250, the nonpartisan organization in charge of the country’s semiquincentennial celebrations, released the items that will be stored in its time […]
The Trump administration has opened a criminal probe into California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, the governor announced on Monday.According to The New York Times, a source close to the probe "said there were multiple federal investigations underway related to the governor, including one looking at his wife’s finances," and that federal law enforcement officials in California, rather than Trump appointees in D.C., opened the investigation "based on government witnesses offering information there."Newsom's office has said that "several people" linked to their family were contacted by federal agents, and they also believe "the agents have ... subpoenaed banking records, but said they had seen no written evidence of that."In a video statement released on Monday, Newsom, who has become notorious for his social media postings mocking the president, attacked the probe as a politically motivated fishing expedition to try to gin up charges against a political rival, noting that he has often been floated as a presidential contender for 2028."Donald Trump isn’t just coming after me because of my mean Tweets," said Newsom. "He’s coming after me because I am considering running for President. Because he hates that I’ve consistently called him out – over and over again – for his lies and deceit. Donald Trump is simply the most corrupt President in American history."Newsom also listed several more cases in which the Trump administration launched various controversial investigations into various people perceived as rivals or figures who wronged him."His personal attorney [Todd Blanche] now runs the Department of Justice, which has repeatedly gone after his political enemies," Newsom said. "Ask Jerome Powell. He sent them after James Comey. Tish James. Adam Schiff. He sent them after Tim Walz. And a woman that a jury found Donald Trump had sexually abused.""One by one, anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list," he added. "And today, I proudly join that list."
One of President Donald Trump’s most outspoken supporters is turning on him over his deal to end the Iran war.“I have asked for days, why can't we, the people, see the damn [memorandum of understanding]?” radio host Mark Levin, who traditionally supports the president, commented on Monday. “Not through people briefed by an anonymous person. Honestly, I've never seen anything like this. If it is a great outcome for peace, then release it.”In a separate post, Levin commented on how Trump has shifted in his characterization of America’s relationship with Israel.“In a period of two-months, Israel has gone from a great ally and partner in war, fighting by our side against a horrible enemy that has killed thousands of our people, killed tens of thousands of their own people, and was a dire nuclear threat intent on attacking us, to Israeli PM Netanyahu being a difficult person who should be thanking us for saving his country from Iran and should get our permission if he wants to defend his people from Hezbollah and Iran, and stand down when his country is attacked,” Levin wrote.He added, “And just yesterday, Israel's [prime minister] avenged the execution of 5 American soldiers by taking out a Hezbollah commander/terrorist. And only Israel has been killing Hezbollah leaders who murdered our Marines, soldiers, embassy staff, and more. It seems to me a kind word is in order. How does this make any sense?”Despite Trump attempting to convince Israel to no longer attack either Iran or Iran’s proxy militia in Lebanon, Hezbollah, the three parties continue to engage in hostilities against each other.“Iran has conditioned that deal on an end to the fighting in Lebanon between Israel and its militia ally, Hezbollah,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “Tehran upped the ante overnight by firing waves of missiles at Israel after Israel attacked Hezbollah’s stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Despite Trump’s effort to calm the growing tensions, Israel retaliated against targets in Iran including an important petrochemical facility, extending an exchange of fire that Iran warned could pull in energy facilities across the region.”Trump responded by posting on social media that Israel and Iran need to stop attacking each other, prompting both nations to cease their violence against each other while saying they may resume later. The president has been particularly focused on Israel, describing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “crazy” for attacking Lebanon and adding that “everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.” He also claimed Netanyahu would have been in prison for corruption if not for Trump’s intervention.Since Netanyahu’s war against Gaza, American opinion has noticeably shifted toward Israel, with Netanyahu appearing unconcerned with the problem. Along with the increase in criticism of Israel, there has also been an increase in bigotry against Jews in general. Speaking with AlterNet in March about the issue of American anti-Semitism, Brandeis University historian Jonathan Sarna pointed out that people have often struggled to distinguish between criticizing the Israeli government and hating Jews in general.“If you go back to ‘The Protocols of the Elders of Zion’ — the great antisemitic forgery of the turn of the last century — that really began this sense that Jews are all-powerful, that they operate behind the scenes, and that whatever happens is ultimately their fault,” Sarna said. “Before then, for centuries, the prevailing view was that Jews were persecuted and lowly because they had killed Christ, and that was what they deserved — they were powerless. That was their punishment. But ‘The Protocols’ flipped that.”Sarna continued that “especially as Jews in modernity have begun to succeed economically, it doesn't much matter what the issue is — whether it is 9/11, which some blame on the Jews, or the crash of 2008, or now the war with Iran. You can predict before it happens that people will blame Jews, because as The Protocols taught people, it's always the Jews. It's the great conspiracy theory. And even many people who have never read The Protocols believe many of the things in it — just as many people have never read Darwin, but they know the word ‘evolution.’ This is simply the latest iteration.”Sarna ultimately concluded, “I can be critical of President Trump without being un-American. Most people who criticize President Trump or the Republicans would assure you how much they love America and hold a fundamentally positive view of it. It seems to me that it's deeply important for us to do the same with Israel — that is, to make clear that there is a huge difference between disliking the policies of the Prime Minister of Israel and hating Israel itself. If you wouldn't equate criticism of the President with hating America, there is no reason — and indeed it is wrong and wicked — to do so with regard to Israel.”
It’s long past time to open federal surveillance powers to scrutiny and reform.